The invention relates to a rice dispensing system that is used to store and dispense measured quantities of rice at a single pressing of a button.
People who use rice are required to measure out a selected quantity using a measuring cup or the like and then add the measured quantity of rice to an awaiting pot of boiling water. The rice is normally stored in a cupboard or pantry that will require a person to retrieve the rice when needed. The person then needs to locate a measuring cup to measure the required amount of rice needed.
The present invention can be positioned directly on a kitchen counter adjacent to a stove so that a person can easily retrieve a requisite amount of rice when needed without having to retrieve a box or rice or locate a measuring cup.
Several references show various food dispensing devices. U.S. Pat. No. 4,993,593 to Fabiano discloses a device capable of automatically dispensing a pre-measured flowable medium. U.S. Pat. No. 5,855,300 to Malki discloses a device for dispensing a pre-measured amount of a solid powder or granular material such as sugar. U.S. Pat. No. 5,975,366 to Ridgely discloses a device for storing and dispensing several powdered materials.
While these units may be suitable for the particular purpose employed, or for general use, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention as disclosed hereafter.
It is an object of the invention to produce a housing having a generally rectangular configuration. The housing has an open upper end, an open lower end, a front wall, a back wall, and opposed side walls. The open upper end has a lid hingedly coupled thereto. The lid seals the open upper end in a closed orientation. The housing includes an L-shaped support stand extending downwardly therefrom. The support stand includes a vertical segment extending downwardly from the back wall. The support stand includes a horizontal segment extending forwardly from a lower edge of the vertical segment. The horizontal segment is positioned below the open lower end of the housing. The housing has a tapered compartment disposed within the open upper end. The tapered compartment has an open lower end. The tapered compartment holds a quantity of rice therein. The housing has a dispensing funnel disposed within the open lower end thereof. The dispensing funnel has an open upper end and an open lower end. A conveyor system is disposed within the housing disposed below the tapered compartment. The conveyor system serves to deliver rice from the tapered compartment to the dispensing funnel. The conveyor system includes a continuous loop belt disposed around a pair of spaced apart rotatable sprockets. The belt has a plurality of spaced apart lips extending upwardly therefrom. The conveyor system includes a motor coupled with one of the sprockets. A timer system is in communication with the conveyor system. The timer system controls the activation of the motor of the conveyor system for predetermined lengths of time. The timer system includes a plurality of activation buttons disposed in the front wall of the housing. Each of the buttons activates the motor at predetermined intervals corresponding with a selected quantity of rice to be dispensed into the dispensing funnel.
To the accomplishment of the above and related objects the invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Attention is called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only. Variations are contemplated as being part of the invention, limited only by the scope of the claims.